Inner Deamons
by Hobbit985
Summary: The Doctor and Rose's slightly eccentric relationship is put under strain and when Rose starts seeing things that aren't really there, they both know something's wrong. But what happens when you become your own worst enemy? 10Rose
1. Chapter 1

"Rose, do you mind?" The Doctor said as Rose kicked the console. "That's my time machine you're hurting!"

"No I don't mind," Rose shot back, her foul mood ever present.

"What is wrong with you?" The Doctor frowned at her, pulling a lever before stuffing his hands into the pockets of his long brown trench coat.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" Rose said stomping about and throwing herself down on the chair, putting her feet up on the console.

"Well will you stop doing this!" The Doctor said, moving her feet.

"Doing what?" Rose thundered folding her arms.

"Being so…moody," the Doctor replied leaning against the console. "You're starting to turn into your mother!"

He hadn't meant that. He really hadn't meant that and he had no idea what had made him say it. The Doctor could see the damage that comment had done. The pain behind her eyes was evident.

"Well maybe I should just go home then!" Rose shouted, standing up and running to the TARDIS doors as it landed.

"No, Rose, wait!" The Doctor said calmly, trying to ignore the instincts telling him to follow her and wrap his arms round her. He'd never understood how these human emotions would work.

Rose flung the doors open and slammed them behind her as she ran towards her mums flat.

"Why does she always slam the doors?" The Doctor asked no one in particular, looking up at the Time Ship. Glancing at the screen on the console and seeing that Rose was crying he decided he'd have to go after her.

Careful to shut the doors rather than slam them and lock the TARDIS before he set off, he caught a glimpse of Rose turning as she got to the stairs instead of going up them to her mums flat as usual. Where was she heading? Running to catch up with her he saw her heading towards the park just off the estate, near where he'd parked the TARDIS the first time he'd met her.

She paused when she reached the park, leaning on the railings and watching the kids playing. The Doctor slowed to a walk and stood next to her, glancing momentarily at the children on the swings.

Rose sensed him next to her and wiped her tears away, not looking at him. He leant with his back against the railings and looked at her long and hard before speaking.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean what I said. I just have a hard time understanding human emotions sometimes. You'd think I'd have the best of both world being half human, half time lord."

"Yeah, well…" Rose said still not looking at him and sounding like she hadn't quite forgiven him for the comment.

"Oh, Rose, c'mon, cut me some slack!" The Doctor said pleadingly. Rose took her arms of the railings and started walking away, ignoring the Doctor.

He walked beside her trying to take her hand but she kept pulling it away.

"Rose, I said sorry," the Doctor said quietly. "You can't hate me so much that you won't forgive me."

In truth Rose didn't hate the Doctor. She hated the way he made her feel. One minute he would make her feel like she was the best person in the universe, who could do anything and the next, he would put her down and make out she was stupid. That was why she loved him and yet hated him. Just recently it had come to a peak and she hadn't been able to take anymore of it. Especially since his regeneration.

"I can't do this Doctor!" She said turning to him suddenly. The Doctor was taken aback by her response.

"Can't do what?" He asked confused.

"You drive me mad!" Rose said waving her arms about. "One minute you're the greatest person I've ever met, my best friend, my soul mate, the next your like this horrible idiot who has no idea how nasty their comments are!"

The Doctor paused looking her straight in the eye to make sure she wasn't just having him on.

"Sorry," he said after a moment still frowning.

"Sorry isn't good enough, Doctor," Rose said continuing to walk along, the Doctor following. "It's just a word, like the ones you used to convince me to come with you. I need to know that you'll do something about it because I can't go on living like this."

Rose could hear herself saying all these things she knew that the Doctor had no control over. In reality she knew it was her fault she felt like this. If she weren't so madly in love it wouldn't hurt like this.

"Rose, I need to know what you want me to do," the Doctor said watching as she hugged her arms about her.

"I don't know!" She said desperately. "I just need to stop feeling like this!"

"Like what?" Asked the Doctor. Rose looked about shrugging and opening and closing her mouth as she tried to explain what she meant. She could hear the haunting strains of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' coming from and ice cream van just up the road.

"I don't know…" she said again the tears starting afresh. The Doctor opened his arms to her and she gratefully accepted the hug. She began whispering in his ear. "I'm sorry… I didn't… I just… I'm so sorry…"

"Hey, it's alright," the Doctor said hugging her tightly. He heard her gasp and pulled back a little. "What?"

Rose stared at the little girl on the corner. She was ghostly pale and was looking straight at her. She seemed familiar but Rose couldn't quite put her finger on where she'd seen the girl before.

"Rose, what are you looking at?" The Doctor as following her gaze and seeing nothing.

"The girl on the corner," Rose said pointing. The Doctor froze, staring at her worriedly.

"Rose," he said quietly. "There isn't a girl on the corner."

Rose looked at him frowning. What was he playing at? Then she looked back and the girl was nowhere to be seen…


	2. Chapter 2

"There was a girl right there!" Rose protested, as the Doctor let go of her. She took a few steps down the pavement as though expecting the girl to reappear.

"Rose, there's no one there," the Doctor said, following her as she began to walk more purposefully towards the corner.

Rose ignored the Doctor breaking into a run to reach the corner and looking all around for the girl she'd seen. She paused scanning the roads. The girl must be around somewhere Rose just knew it.

"Rose, where are you going?" Asked the Doctor. "Look maybe we should go visit your mum?"

"You go visit her," Rose called behind her scowling, annoyed because she couldn't find the girl. Rose had been so sure the girl was still around somewhere.

"Rose, there's no one here, let's go," the Doctor said quietly, taking her hand. Rose turned to look at him frowning.

"I saw a little girl, ok?" She said. The Doctor just shrugged. "You don't believe me do you?"

"Well, maybe you did see someone but they're not here now, so let's go shall we?" The Doctor said trying to lead her back towards the Powell Estate. Rose pulled her hand out of the Doctor's.

"I'm not going anywhere," Rose said angrily. "Not with you, not with someone who doesn't believe me."

"Rose, I do believe you," the Doctor tried again, but Rose was too wound up.

"No forget it Doctor!" Rose said. "I'm not going with you until I find that girl, and I can prove to you I'm not going mad."

Rose crossed the street and the Doctor sighed before following her. He couldn't let her go off in this state by herself.

"I don't think you're mad!" The Doctor said carefully. Rose didn't answer, walking quickly down the road, arms folded. "I just didn't see anything ok? That doesn't mean I don't believe you or you're going mad, you could've seen anything Rose!"

"But I didn't see _anything_," Rose shot back. "I saw a girl."

The Doctor rolled his eyes stuffing his hands into his pockets. He followed in silence after that deciding that if Rose was going to get narked at everything he said he was probably better off not talking.

Rose had no idea where she was going. To be honest she wasn't really looking for the girl anymore she was trying to sort things out in her head. Things about the Doctor, whether she had really seen a girl and whether she was going to be able to continue travelling if they kept fighting like this.

She paused as they reached a busy road and took a deep shuddering breath as she tried to clear her thoughts. The Doctor stood beside her watching her quietly.

"You don't have to follow me," Rose said in a hushed tone as she looked for a gap in the traffic.

"I'll go if you want to be alone," the Doctor replied, not taking his eyes off her.

"I didn't say that," Rose looked left and right and darted across, the Doctor following. "I just meant, if you've got better tings to do I'd understand if you go back to the TARDIS."

"Nothing is more important than you Rose," the Doctor said keeping in step with her. She looked up at him for a moment and nodded. Ordinarily she would've been over the moon that the Doctor thought she was the most important thing in his life, but right then she hated him for saying it. It only made her heart flutter and her love for him increase, causing the pain to increase with it.

They continued in silence, walking all the way to town before Rose stopped and flopped down on a bench over looking another, much bigger park. The Doctor sat next to her, still not talking, waiting for her to make the first move.

"I did see a girl," Rose said quietly, her hands clasped together in her lap.

"Ok," the Doctor replied. She turned to look at him.

"I need to know that you believe me," she said sadly. "I can't travel with you anymore if you don't trust me."

The Doctor looked at her astounded that she could think he didn't trust her. He knew she'd seen someone on the corner, he just didn't think it was necessarily a little girl, or that important. He too her hands in his, looking straight into her dark brown eyes.

"I believe you," he said, not a flicker of doubt showing. Rose blinked and looked away, feeling slightly better at having convinced him. She looked over at the park and there, stood right in the middle of the grass staring directly at her was the little girl.

"Doctor," she said pointing. "Look."

The Doctor looked across the grass and saw nothing but a few birds here and there. He stood up slightly craning his neck.

"What?" He asked.

"She's right there, in the middle, how can you not see her?" Rose asked desperately not daring to take her eyes off the girl.

"Rose whatever you can see, I can't," the Doctor replied watching her carefully. "Take me to her."

"What?" Rose asked, sill watching the girl who was standing completely still, her long hair blowing in the wind.

"Don't look away," he said watching her. "Just take me to the girl."

Rose stood up, leading the Doctor by the hand until they were stood directly in front of the girl. The Doctor took the Sonic Screwdriver out and the girl's eyes flicked to him.

"She's just here?" The Doctor asked, stretching out a hand and almost touching the girl. Rose nodded, still staring at the pale form in front of her. He turned the setting up on the Screwdriver and began scanning the area.

"You really can't see her?" Asked Rose looking up at him. The Doctor shook his head.

"The readings are off the scales though," the Doctor muttered. "Oh wait…"

"What?" Rose asked looking back at the girl… only she'd disappeared.

"They stopped. The readings just stopped." The Doctor said frowning.

"The girl, she's gone," Rose muttered, slightly disconcerted.

"I think this is more serious than we though," the Doctor whispered. He linked his fingers through Rose's. "C'mon, let's go back to your mum where I can run some tests."


	3. Chapter 3

Jackie Tyler sighed as she pottered about her empty flat making tea for one as usual. She looked out the window over the estate as she filled the kettle with water, watching birds fly serenely past the park.

As she pulled out a mug the kettle's noise covered up the sound of footsteps and it wasn't until someone knocked on the door that she went to see who was there. As she opened the door and caught sight of her only daughter the Doctor grinned.

"Hi," he said as Jackie threw her arms round Rose.

"Hi mum," Rose said weakly, not sure she could handle her mum after what she'd just been through.

"Rose, why didn't you say you were coming!" Jackie said, though Rose never knew or phoned ahead to say she was coming home.

"Just a quick visit," the Doctor said as Rose looked at him helplessly, unsure of whether to tell her mum she was seeing girls that didn't exist.

The Doctor had to put up with Rose doing the domestic thing for the next hour. Jackie wanted to know everything Rose had been up to, but Rose decided to conveniently forget to tell about why exactly they'd come back.

Later that evening when Jackie had finally learnt of their every moment from the last time they'd seen each other and Rose had calmed down Jackie went off to make something for them to eat. The Doctor smiled softly to Rose who was sat across from him.

"Alright?" He asked quietly.

"Oh yeah I'm fine," Rose said smiling back. "I can see things that don't exist and…"

She paused deciding not to finish her sentence. She shook her head still grinning.

"I'm ok," she replied.

After tea Jackie insisted they stay the night. So Rose returned to her old bedroom and the Doctor made himself comfortable in the spare room. He didn't bother getting undressed, as he knew he wouldn't sleep. He doubted whether Rose would either and sure enough at about midnight she came creeping into his room.

"Couldn't sleep?" The Doctor asked quietly, sat on the end of the bed. Rose shook her head, sitting next to him, and linking her fingers through his.

"It's so different from the TARDIS," she whispered. "I'm so used to the gentle hum and being able to hear you in the console too, it's just too quiet."

"I know," the Doctor replied, resting his cheek on the top of her head. He'd been thinking all evening about what they were going to do about Rose's apparent 'sight'. The Doctor had decided the best way was to look through her mind, see if anything had managed to worm it's way in there, but he wasn't sure how thrilled Rose would be about this idea. As if she could read his thoughts she turned to look at him.

"Any thoughts on what exactly I'm seeing?" She asked, eyes full of worry.

"I don't know until…" the Doctor paused. "There is one way I could find out what's causing it. But I need to look through your mind. Is that going to bother you?"

Rose bit her lip. It wasn't that she minded but the Doctor might not like what he found. She'd been pretty mixed up and she wasn't sure she wanted the actual Doctor running through her head when her imaginary one had been taking a mental beating.

"I won't do it, if you don't want me too," the Doctor said earnestly. He didn't want Rose to feel like she was being pressurized into it. Especially as it was so intimate.

"Do it," Rose said quietly, hoping that the Doctor wouldn't see the stuff she'd been thinking, the good or the bad.

"If there's something you don't want me to see just imagine a door ok?" The Doctor said, putting his hands on either side of Rose's head.

"Ok," she said almost inaudibly. Rose knew she wouldn't hide anything from the Doctor. She'd made it perfectly clear when he'd first regenerated that she wanted him to change back. She knew it had hurt him a lot and if he only knew… it might make up for the pain she'd caused him.

The Doctor was trying to ignore the thoughts and feelings flying around Rose's head and concentrate on the matter at hand. He couldn't find any abnormalities or alien life forms that might have crept in there on one of their adventures. He was about to give up when a particularly strong emotion swam to the front of Rose's mind, shoving everything else out the way.

Rose closed her eyes. She'd tried for so long to keep that under wraps, but she couldn't bear the pain anymore. Breathing slowly she looked at him again and bit her lip.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, standing up and leaving before the Doctor could protest. He stared at where Rose had just been sat, letting his arms fall slowly to his side.

"What for?" He asked, even though Rose was no longer there.

The next morning Jackie knew something was wrong when the Doctor and Rose were unusually quiet. As she set tea and toast down in front of the two of them she stood looking at them, hands on her hips.

"Right, what's wrong?" She asked starting to get annoyed with the pair. Sometimes she felt like banging their heads together.

"Nothing," Rose said, taking a few pieces of toast. The Doctor glanced at Jackie, then at Rose, not trusting himself to speak.

"Don't tell me 'nothing'!" Jackie scoffed. "You two never shut up normally. Something's wrong, now I don't really care what it is, but sort it or you'll both be out."

"Mum!" Rose protested looking up at her mother as if she was mad.

"Then sort it!" Jackie said not wavering. Rose gave her a very cold look before standing up and storming out. "That's your fault."

The Doctor looked up and nodded. It was true. It was all his fault. It'd been his fault since he'd grabbed her hand in the basement of a department store and told her to run. It was always going to be his fault. It would probably be his fault when she died.

"Go after her then!" Jackie said. The Doctor stood up, spurring into action. He ran after Rose, down the stairs of the block of flats and then paused. He couldn't see her anywhere, and then he heard a sob behind him. He turned to see Rose, looking at her feet, a hand covering her face.

He sighed. He hated seeing her like this, but it made it even worse to know that he was the reason she was in so much pain. Walking towards her, he put out a hand to cup her cheek, but she still didn't look up.

"Hey," the Doctor smiled softly. "Not gonna cry every time we have a conversation now are you?"

Rose just sobbed harder, reaching her arms out to hug the Doctor. It was too much to talk about, but she had to know she wasn't the only one feeling the pain. The Doctor pulled her as close as he could, breathing in her familiar scent.

"I… didn't mean…" Rose began between sobs but the Doctor made a soothing noise halfway between a sigh and a shh. She paused, unsure of how exactly he was reacting to what he'd seen, or if the Doctor had actually seen anything at all.

"It's alright," the Doctor replied. He pulled back slightly to look at her and tapped her on the nose. "Panda eyes."

Rose didn't smile, just wiped her face with the sleeve of her jacket.

"You must hate me," Rose said, sniffing slightly. "Every time we talk we end up arguing and it's all my fault."

"S'not," the Doctor replied quietly. "It's mine. I was the one who asked you to travel with me. If I hadn't asked you to come then you'd've never…"

He trailed off unsure of whether to actually say what he saw. Maybe Rose didn't know how much he'd seen. But in his hearts he knew they couldn't go on like this, all the cards needed lying out on the table.

"Fallen in love with you?" Rose asked, finishing his sentence.

"Well yeah," the Doctor said smiling wryly. "But that's not the reason we're fighting is it? It's something more, some doubt at the back of your mind that if I ever found out that you loved me, then I'd leave you. But at the same time you couldn't go on living with the man you loved when you couldn't act on your desires."

Rose nodded forlornly. The Doctor brushed some of her hair out of her face and wiped away a stray tear.

"You should no by now that that would never happen," the Doctor said, slightly confused at the fact that Rose doubted him. She never had before.

"I know," Rose said. "I'm being silly I know that you wouldn't. But it's like this nagging at the back of my mind that won't go away."

The Doctor frowned, his hand still resting on Rose's cheek. He pulled it away a little self-consciously.

"When did this start?" He asked quietly, leaning his forehead against hers and looking through her mind again.

"Not long after we came back from that planet with the wolf people," Rose said, wondering what on earth he was getting at.

"Bingo," the Doctor grinned slightly. "Am I fantastic or am I fantastic?"


	4. Chapter 4

"You remember how the wolf people had those nanite type things with a name that you wouldn't be able to pronounce that enabled them to create images in their head so they would have something controlling them? But they were controlling themselves, like a mind outside their mind, if you get what I mean," The Doctor babbled on as he and Rose wandered back towards the TARDIS.

Rose was struggling to keep up with what the Doctor was saying. His new self seemed to forget that she was human and needed him to explain things slowly. She frowned as he spouted all this stuff and decided that she'd just have to trust him with whatever he was going to do.

"So I'm guessing somehow these nanite things with a name to hard to pronounce have somehow infected your brain, which would be why I can't find them because they're exactly like normal brain waves only able to function outside the brain thus you can see what looks like a real girl but is really a projected image from your minds eye. They're obviously playing off your emotions, making you more sensitive than usual which was what they'd do to the wolf people but because wolves don't have emotions it just made them revert to normal so they didn't kill each other. So now the only thing we've gotta do is figure out why they infected you and not me and how to get rid of them!" The Doctor grinned at her his arms flung up in the air as if expecting applause.

"What?" Rose asked a blank look on her face, hoping he wouldn't hate her for being a 'stupid ape'. The Doctor's face fell. Rose always used to understand him, even start to add things in that didn't occur to him. Since his regeneration however she seemed to have become more distant, unable to understand most of the things he said.

"You created the girl yourself," he said shrugging, deflated. He opened the TARDIS doors and shut them once Rose had entered after him.

He headed up to the console and flicked a switch. Rose stood, playing with her hands, slightly unnerved by the sudden silence from the Doctor.

"You're not seeing things," the Doctor said, then paused looking up. "Well you are… but they are there… if you see what I mean…"

He caught the still blank look on Rose's face, but she quickly hid it and nodded. He frowned and walked towards her pondering.

"Do you understand what I'm on about?" He asked quietly.

"I'm creating the image of the girl myself," Rose repeated. "So instead of her being in my minds eye she's a projected image which explains why only I can see her."

The Doctor grinned, his hearts sighing with relief that she'd understood. He couldn't bear to think that Rose was turning into a total stranger who neither knew nor cared what he was on about.

"Exactly!" The Doctor said. "Now all we have to do is figure out why it's not affected me and then how to get rid of the nanites with a name too hard to pronounce in your head."

Rose smiled weakly, nodding. Somehow knowing what was altering her mind didn't make her feel any better and to top it all off she wasn't sure whether the hurt and confusion where her own emotions anymore, or that of the nanites.

"Right," the Doctor rubbed his hands together. Rose watched him for a moment until he sighed, his arms falling. "I have no idea how to get rid of them."

"Can't you run a scan or something?" Rose asked. The Doctor shook his head.

"The TARDIS can detect them, but with the telepathic fields in your head as well, the nanites have obviously protected themselves and the TARDIS only detects normal brainwaves," the Doctor said thinking. "It wouldn't be able to tell us how to get rid of them."

"Well… would it be that bad if we just left them?" Rose said looking at the Doctor with some concern. He seemed to be pretty down about the fact that he didn't know how to help her.

"I dunno…" the Doctor mused. "It depends… you'd probably end up seeing things when you were feeling a particularly strong emotion, like earlier when you were upset you saw that girl. But I might be able to give you something to soften the power a bit."

By the time she went to bed that evening (still in Jackie's flat) Rose was absolutely shattered. The Doctor had spent the day cooking up a concoction to control the nanites that had a name to hard to pronounce. In the end she hadn't had the energy to do anything else but crawl into bed. The Doctor was still bursting with energy and was at that very moment down in the TARDIS tinkering away.

She lay awake for a long time, despite her tiredness, lost in thought. She knew that if she spent a while thinking things over and coming to a decision about her feelings then she might be able to sleep better.

Since the Doctor had explained that her emotions were made more sensitive by the nanites, she was starting to worry about whether she really did love him and whether she'd start caring for him less. But maybe now she was conscious of the nanites she'd be able to control them more?

Rose turned over, staring at her bedroom doorway and wondering whether the Doctor would come and watch her, as she knew he sometimes did.

The Doctor meanwhile was pulling wires out of the TARDIS, the Sonic Screwdriver in his mouth. He heard the TARDIS chitter and frowned.

"I know!" He said rather huffily and with much difficulty due to the Sonic Screwdriver. "I'll talk to her tomorrow! There's no point keeping her up all night trying to figure out which were her emotions and the nanites."

The TARDIS made a noise somewhere between a squeak and a purr. The Doctor rolled his eyes taking the Sonic Screwdriver out of his mouth.

"Even if she does love me, that doesn't mean anything round here's gonna change," the Doctor warned. The TARDIS clicked and sounded like she didn't believe a word he said.

"How do you know what I feel?" He asked, but not nastily. "I might only see her as a friend!"

The TARDIS didn't reply as if her point had been proved. The Doctor sighed, putting the wires down and standing up.

"Alright, I know I'm not going to convince you, I can't even convince myself," the Doctor said grabbing his long trench coat off the console and pulling it on. "I'm going… she might still be awake."

As the Doctor opened the TARDIS doors and shut them again behind himself, locking them with the Sonic Screwdriver he didn't notice someone coming up behind him. He paused, thinking he'd heard something but just put it down to being a cat or something. As he turned to walk back up to Jackie Tyler's flat the Doctor didn't get further than two steps away from the Doctor when something whacked him hard over the head.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" The Doctor moaned a huge bump coming up on his head. He received another whack and another, until everything went black.

The next morning Rose awoke feeling slightly fresher than she had been. The Doctor didn't come to breakfast this time but that didn't worry her. He probably couldn't face another domestic. She said goodbye to her mum and said she'd come back for another visit soon.

Sighing as she left the flat she waved over her shoulder to her mum and frowned as she saw her mum was frozen, staring across the Powell Estate. She walked back to her mum waving a hand in front of her face before following her gaze.

Her stomach twisted into a million knots and Rose found she couldn't breath. There lying in the middle of the square was the Doctor, covered in blood and apparently unconscious.

Rose took in the sight for a moment before she suddenly spurred into action running along the balcony and practically throwing herself down the stairs towards him. She had only one thought. To reach the Doctor, make the nightmare go away.

When she reached him he looked worse than when she was looking down on him. There was blood everywhere and as she crouched beside him she couldn't help but think that she might be too late.


	5. Chapter 5

Rose found she couldn't breathe. If the Doctor were badly hurt what would she do? She couldn't take him to a hospital; they'd have the government after them. Kneeling beside him she stretched a hand out to touch him.

He stirred, groaning and Rose sighed with relief. She checked him over and despite his bad injuries; he didn't seem to be bleeding anymore. Or course she'd have to move him, people would start to get suspicious when they saw his blood was blue.

"Doctor?" She said gently, taking his hand. "Can you stand up?"

The Doctor opened his eyes and stared weakly at her.

"Probably," he said, sitting up gingerly.

"This is all my fault," Rose said, helping him up as he clutched his side.

"How can it be your fault?" The Doctor asked his voice hoarse.

"No one on this planet comes after you unless they know that you're with me," Rose said, realising how ironic that was. Practically every planet in the universe was after the Doctor. The only planet where he was safe (most of the time) was Earth. Until he'd met Rose. Then the slaps and verbal abuse had started, mostly from her family, but she couldn't believe that her mum would do this. One of her mates might though…

"Who did it?" Rose asked. "Did you see them?"

The Doctor paused wondering if he should tell Rose who attacked him. As they hobbled along together towards Jackie's flat he knew it would be no use.

"Rose, I was hit over the head by a floating baseball bat," the Doctor said quietly. Rose frowned confused.

"A floating baseball bat?" She repeated. The Doctor nodded and she suddenly realised what that meant. "You mean I- the nanite…"

She trailed off and almost dropped the Doctor as they reached the balcony. If he was attacked by an invisible force then that meant only one thing.

"You mean that was one of my…" Rose didn't know what to call them. "One of my creations?"

The Doctor nodded gravely.

"I don't know what else it could be," he said quietly as Jackie opened the door for him.

"But… why would I even subconsciously try to hurt you?" Rose asked on the verge of tears at the thought that _she'd_ done this to her Doctor.

"Well you've not exactly been pleased with me recently," the Doctor shrugged as he practically collapsed onto the spare bed.

"But I didn't want to hurt you!" Rose said, the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"No?" The Doctor asked and Rose felt a surge of anger towards him. How could he doubt her?

"No." She said firmly.

"You haven't even maybe half wished something and regretted it later, knowing that you didn't mean it?" The Doctor said, closing his eyes.

"Well…" Rose thought. "Nothing this bad. I wished that you could feel my pain so you'd understand but I never wanted you hurt."

"Ah," the Doctor said in a hushed tone as Jackie bustled about in the kitchen getting water and cloths to wipe the blood off him. "I think those nanites are stronger than we anticipated."

"What do you mean?" Rose frowned.

"Well the nanites can't cause emotion for another person so they must've decided that it would have to be physical pain that balanced things out," the Doctor said, quietly.

"So you mean every time I have even the tiniest bad thought against you I'm going to attack you in my sleep?" Rose asked looking at him wide eyed. The Doctor nodded.

"Most probably," he said, coughing slightly.

Jackie burst in then halting any further conversation. Rose looked on in horror as her mum cleaned the worst of the wounds and she contemplated what she was going to do. She couldn't stay here if it meant she was putting the Doctor in danger.

Later that morning when her mum had gone to get a cup of tea for them all and the Doctor had had most of the blood cleaned off him (Jackie had even leant him Howard's pyjama's, which weirdly she still had despite not having seen him in months) Rose took his hand and sat beside him, thinking about the last time the Doctor had been here. It'd been her fault then too, he'd had to regenerate in order to save her life.

"I'm sorry," she said. The Doctor opened his eyes and glanced at her, looking slightly brighter than he had done that morning.

"S'not your fault," he said. "You didn't do it on purpose."

"But we can't go on like this," Rose whispered sadly "If I'm going to attack you then I'm gonna have to stay here."

"Nah you won't," the Doctor replied seriously. "We'll have to get rid of the nanites. I'm a Time Lord, it takes more than a baseball bat to kill me, but imagine if you have a fight with your mum. You might end up…"

He didn't finish his sentence and Rose suddenly found that she no longer hated the Doctor, but hated herself. She was turning into someone who hurt all her loved ones. She was turning into her own worst enemy.

"How can we get rid of them?" She asked.

"We'll have to go back to that planet," the Doctor said. "When I recover."

"But what're we gonna do until then?" Rose said, sure that she wouldn't be able to sleep for fear of hurting someone.

"You'll have to sleep in the TARDIS with me," the Doctor said avoiding her gaze. "If we slept in the same bed you wouldn't be able to attack me because you'd hurt yourself and you won't hurt yourself."

Rose ordinarily would've killed to be bale to sleep in the same room as the Doctor, let alone bed, but right then she wasn't sure she could trust herself.

"Look I don't want to pressurize you into it," the Doctor said, looking her straight in the eye. "I can put you in the TARDIS and send you a few days into the future to when I'm fully healed if you'd prefer. But it's best you don't sleep where you can hurt anyone."

Rose nodded.

"S'fine," she said. "I'll stay with you."

The Doctor grinned.

"We'll forget to mention it to your mother shall we?" He said some of his old demeanour returning.

"Yeah," Rose said, laughing despite her tears.


	6. Chapter 6

Jackie fussed about them sleeping in the TARDIS that night and the Doctor dreaded to think what she'd say if she knew they were going to sleep in the same bed.

"We'll be fine mum," Rose replied trying to sound casual. "It's just that the TARDIS makes noises and I can't sleep without them now."

The Doctor remembered the first night Rose ever spent in the TARDIS. She'd complained non-stop the next morning that the TARDIS made too many noises and it was only when he made her a cup of tea that she'd shut up. Course within the space of two more nights she'd become accustomed to the noises and when the Doctor suggested making the TARDIS quieter Rose had told him there was no need.

Rose helped the Doctor limp down to the TARDIS, all the while feeling the beady stare of her mother on her neck. The Doctor's bruises were still visible despite the fact that they'd cleaned off the blood and there were still some very nasty cuts.

Rose felt sick every time she looked at him. She couldn't bear to think about the fact that it was her fault he was hurt.

As they entered the TARDIS the Doctor muttered something about changing into his own pyjamas and Rose was left with the Doctor's now clean clothes in the console room.

She put his long coat and pinstriped suit down on the chair that was in the console room and then put a hand on the console itself.

"I don't if there's anything you can do, but please help me get rid of these nanites if you can," Rose whispered to the Time ship. "I can't go on hurting the Doctor."

The TARDIS chattered and Rose knew she'd understood. She stroked the ship fondly.

"Thanks," she smiled to herself.

"Thanks for what?" Asked the Doctor, limping back in, wearing a pair of dark blue pyjama's covered with silver moons. Rose stared at him. He looked even more gorgeous in them even though she could see how badly hurt he was.

"Nothing," she said finally. "I was just talking to the TARDIS."

"Ah yeah," the Doctor patted the console. "She's a good listener."

"I like your pyjama's," Rose said after a moment, turning ever so slightly pink. The Doctor grinned.

"What sort you got?" He asked. Rose pondered for a second, deciding which pyjama's she was going to put on.

"I've got some black ones with gold stars on," she said. "We'll go together then."

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"You women, always thinking about what goes and what doesn't," he said tutting.

"I don't have to wear them…" Rose said slightly deflated.

"No, Rose, I didn't mean…" he paused. "I'm sure they'll look fantastic."

Rose smiled weakly.

"I'll go get changed then," she said, heading for the door.

"I've got something for you when you get back," he said and she glanced back nodding.

The Doctor sighed once she was gone. He looked up at the TARDIS.

"She asked you for help didn't she?" The Doctor said quietly. The TADIS pinged. "If only it were that easy."

He made some hot chocolate whilst Rose was gone and when she returned handed her a mug with a couple of marshmallows thrown in.

"Thanks," she said grinning properly for the first time that day.

"You know I said I had something for you?" The Doctor began.

"Yeah?" Rose said, blowing on her hot chocolate and looking at him curiously.

"Well…" he paused and pulled out what looked like a red version of the Sonic Screwdriver. "This is in case you find that one day your creations get so powerful that they start to hurt you. It's only a got the basic functions, but one of them is like a mental shield. They can't touch you if you use it."

Rose took it from him, her fingers brushing over his as she did so.

"But…" she swallowed. "You need it more than I do."

"I can't use it," he said. "It's a mental thing, it'll only work on the person who creates them."

Rose looked down at the red sonic screwdriver before pocketing it and throwing her arms round the Doctor, bursting into tears.

"I'm sorry," she said sobbing onto his shoulder.

"Hey," he said, stumbling slightly. "It's fine. Not your fault, yeah?"

"But it is," Rose moaned.

"Rose," he pulled her back slightly so he could look at him. "I know you would never intentionally hurt me, ok?"

She didn't answer, just sobbed.

"Ok?" The Doctor said again. Rose nodded. "I think you're tired. C'mon, bed."

Rose didn't want to go, but didn't protest when the Doctor led her by the hand towards the TARDIS depths. They didn't stop at Rose's room instead they wandered down the corridor until they came to a room with a double bed in it.

"Which side do you wanna sleep on?" The Doctor asked smiling weakly.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose couldn't sleep that night. Despite the warmth of the Doctor next to her and knowing that she wouldn't hurt him she still couldn't close her eyes and sleep.

The Doctor lay awake too, unused to actually sleeping. His body ached still from the attack the previous night but it was accompanied by something else. His hearts ached as well because he knew Rose was going through so much pain. He wished he could help her, stop the demons of her nightmares, but he couldn't.

Rose shifted slightly and rolled onto her side looking at the Doctor. His dark brown eyes looked straight back almost questioningly. They didn't say anything, just looked at each other.

After a minute or so, Rose sought out the Doctor's hand. He smiled slightly as he felt her wrap her fingers around his own.

"You ok?" He whispered. Rose nodded, rubbing her thumb over his bruised knuckles. The touch made his hearts flutter and his stomach do back flips. He knew he really shouldn't, but deep down he knew that Rose's feelings for him were reciprocal.

Try as he might he just couldn't help falling for Rose. She was perfect in every way and was so much smarter and braver than anyone else he'd ever travelled with. He also knew though that to get any closer to Rose than he already was, would be dangerous, not only because of what might happen if they got split up one day, but also because of what her emotion creatures might do to him.

Rose sniffed slightly and the Doctor was bought back down the earth with a bump. She looked so beautiful lying with her head on the pillow, her golden hair making a halo. It was all he could do to stop himself kissing her.

Then a horrible thought occurred to him. What if he talked in his sleep? Or worse still what if he kissed her in his sleep? After all, he'd been known to move about on those rare occasions he did actually go to sleep. Glancing up at the ceiling he talked to the TARDIS in his mind, making the Time Ship promise to wake him up if he looked like he was about to do something foolish.

The TARDIS told him that she'd do no such thing, but if Rose looked uncomfortable the TARDIS would protect her.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. Women. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Sometimes he hated them because he loved them so much. The TARDIS for being his oldest companion and Rose for just being Rose.

"Doctor," Rose whispered suddenly making the Doctor look at her silently. "When we get rid of theses nanites can we go somewhere relaxing after?"

"Yeah," the Doctor smiled softly. "Course."

Rose shifted looking at him sleepily. She yawned closing her eyes and gave the Doctor's hand one more fleeting squeeze before finally succumbing to sleep.

The Doctor sighed and closed his own eyes only hoping that they'd make it through the night safely.

Rose slept fitfully, her dreams haunted by small girls and big bad wolves. Somehow Rose knew the wolves were there to help and they kept away the creations of her imagination. It was like a sign and when Rose woke the next morning she contemplated it for a long time.

The Doctor dreamt too, surprisingly, but his were nightmares full of different Rose's all made at him and demanding to leave. Each time he faced he knew situation he felt his hearts break more. When he woke he didn't move from his position for a long time, needing to hold Rose close.

The Doctor had curled himself round Rose's back, one arm wrapped protectively round her waist and though he knew it would probably lead to awkward questions he still didn't move even when Rose woke.

She placed her arm on top of his; the one wrapped round her, and seemed to press herself closer to his body, seeking reassurance from his warmth. The Doctor brushed some of her out of her face, his fingertips tracing along her neckline.

Rose shivered at the touch. It was like an electric current passing through her body. It felt good but at the same time forbidden. She knew the Doctor would never intentionally play off her love for him.

Rose could feel her heart rate speed up and it was a wonder the Doctor didn't notice, though perhaps he couldn't tell over the fast beats of his own two hearts. He sighed, his breath cooling the back of Rose's neck.

Rose closed her eyes, trying to ignore the strong urge to turn round and kiss the Doctor. She took several deep breaths counting to five and trying to calm her heart.

The Doctor could hear her counting under her breath. He knew why and knew he really shouldn't be doing this to her. It was unfair to make her feel this way when they both knew it could never go any further.

"We'll go back to that planet later," the Doctor said quietly. "Get this over and done with."

"Mmm," Rose said, noticing that the Doctor made no move to get up and she didn't either.

"Do you want to say goodbye to your mum first?" The Doctor asked. Rose turned over then to look at him, her face barely an inch from his. She paused for a moment as she lost herself in his chocolate brown eyes, forgetting why exactly she'd turned over.

"Yeah," she whispered. The Doctor reached up a hand and brushed away some stray hair from her face again. She closed her eyes at the touch. He hesitated.

"Oh, Rose," he said sadly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked opening her eyes again.

"For doing this," he said, retracting his hand. "I'm driving you made with desire and it's so unfair."

Rose smiled slightly.

"I'd rather this than no contact at all," she said quietly.

"But I'm taking advantage," the Doctor said, as Rose sought out his hand under the covers.

"Better that you do this than have me attack you again," she said firmly. The Doctor could see how much pain he was causing her, no matter how much she denied it. He could see it in her eyes and vowed not to let his feeling get the better of him again.

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak but suddenly noticed the scared look on Rose's face. She shrank back wide-eyed staring at a point beyond his shoulder. The Doctor turned and saw nothing then glanced back at Rose.

"It's them again isn't it?" He asked. Rose nodded. This time it wasn't a small girl, it was a tall looming man that looked set to murder the Doctor with just a glare. The Doctor squeezed her hand.

"Rose, look at me," he said and she reluctantly tore her eyes away from the man. "They're only as real as you make them. Ignore them. The more you notice them the more powerful they are, ok?"

Rose nodded, trying not to look at the man, but it was hard when out of the corner of her eye she could see him about to reach out for the Doctor.

"Doctor," she whispered fearfully, looking at the man properly. "He's going to kill you."

The Doctor stared at Rose.

"Stop him then," he said quietly. Rose looked at the Doctor then back at the man.

"I can't," she said.

"You can," the Doctor pressed. "It's your imagination Rose."

Rose tried desperately to think of all the good times she'd had with the Doctor, all the adventure they'd had together, all the time he'd held her hand and hugged her, all the kisses she longed to share with him.

The man shimmered out of existence before it could take another step towards the bed. Rose looked up at the ceiling, trying to swallow the lump rising in her throat.

"S'alright," the Doctor murmured soothingly stretching and getting out of bed. He wandered round to Rose's side of the bed and held a hand out to her. She took it, getting out of bed too.

He gave her a fleeting hug, before leading her by the hand towards the console room. He looked about and then glanced at Rose.

"D'you wanna get changed and say bye to your mum then?" He said yawning. Rose nodded and headed back the way they'd come to get dressed. The Doctor ran a hand through his hair whilst he waited for Rose to return.

When Rose came back the Doctor disappeared to find his own clothes while she went to say goodbye to Jackie. He decided that it'd be better for Rose to do this alone, what with the state she was in.

When he returned to the console room Rose was waiting for him rather tearfully. He studied her carefully, wondering whether she'd had a fight or was just upset about their whole situation.

"Alright?" He asked as he pulled a few levers and set them in motion.

"Yeah," she replied though he knew she was lying. "Always fine me."


	8. Chapter 8

They landed on the planet and the Doctor opened the doors stepping out into the wooded landscape. Rose followed, hugging her arms round herself, shivering slightly as the cool air whipped round her.

"Best to find their leader again," the Doctor said quietly. He was going to hold out a hand for her to take but after what he'd just put her through he decided against it.

Rose noticed and was slightly sad that he wouldn't take her hand. Her hearts ached but she tried not to think about it for fear of what would happen if she got mad at him.

She followed a little way behind him in silence longing for him to show some kind of affection. This was the one thing she didn't want to happen, him to stop all physical contact because of her feelings.

Deep down the Doctor's own hearts were aching and he knew that he shouldn't do this to Rose. But what else could he do? Pushing all thoughts to the back of his mind he decided he'd worry about getting rid of the nanites before anything else.

They wandered towards a large cave like building in the middle of the woods and carefully headed towards the room where the leader was located. The Doctor had made sure to land no where near the full moon.

There were only a few people wandering about and they all regarded the Doctor and Rose somewhat suspiciously. They reached the chamber with the leader and were asked to wait whilst the leader prepared himself.

When they entered the Doctor approached carefully whilst Rose hung back by the entrance.

"Hi there," the Doctor said. "We came to ask you what to do if we become affected with the nanites you use, cause you see my friend over there is having a bit a trouble with particularly strong nanites and-"

"The nanites only affect were-wolves," the leader cut across in a deep scratchy tone. The Doctor paused frowning.

"But my friend isn't a were-wolf," the Doctor replied slightly annoyed.

"How old is your friend?" The leader, whose name was Jok, asked, his old face lined.

"Nineteen, nearly twenty," the Doctor said confused.

"She comes from Earth, yes?" Jok glanced Rose up and down.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded. "But I don't-"

"There is a legend," Jok interrupted. "Of an Earth girl who possessed great strength. Do you know what she was known as in the old myth? The Bad Wolf."

The Doctor stood frozen to the spot.

"That's why the nanites are affecting her," he whispered realisation hitting him.

"And why they are so strong," Jok agreed. "The nanites are clever, they are only as strong as their opposition, they don't realise how much they are affecting the Earth girl."

"What do I do though?" The Doctor said in worried tone. "She's only ever used her Bad Wolf power once, she can't control it."

"You must teach her," Jok said wheezing. "She will only be able to rid herself of the nanites if she knows how to use her power. There are some of us here who have outgrown the nanites because we can control ourselves in wolf state. The Earth girl must learn too, before she does some serious damage."

The Doctor nodded.

"Thank you," he said graciously and backed away, taking Rose's hand as he left. He decided that she'd need all the support she could get if she was going to have to awaken the power that had caused him to regenerate.

"What did he say?" Rose asked quietly, squeezing his hand slightly as they wandered back to the TARDIS.

"We've got work to do," the Doctor replied. "Don't worry we can get rid of them, we've just gotta do it ourselves is all."

"What've we gotta do exactly?" Rose asked suspiciously. The Doctor didn't answer straight away. He opened the TARDIS doors and let them both in.

He shut and locked the doors, setting the TARDIS in flight before finally turning to her and looking her straight in the eye.

"We've got to reawaken the Bad Wolf," he said watching her carefully. Rose stared at him wide eyed. She couldn't do that. There was no way she was going to become the person who'd killed him again.

"I can't," She said shaking her head determinedly. "No, no way."

"Rose," the Doctor took her hand again. "If you don't do this then you might attack me again. I can live with it, I know it's not your fault, but would you really be able to forgive yourself if you woke up one day and found you'd got rid of me in your sleep?"

Rose's lip wobbled dangerously and the Doctor pulled her in for a hug. He rubbed her back gently.

"It's essential we get rid of these nanites before it's too late," he whispered in her ear. Rose shivered slightly. "The Bad Wolf won't hurt me again. It'll be fine ok?"

"Ok," Rose said in a small voice. The Doctor rubbed her back again gently, trying to resist the urge to kiss her neck.

"We'll be alright as long as we're together," he stood back to look at her and saw she was crying. "What happened last time wasn't your fault, got it?"

Rose nodded and leant her head against his chest. The Doctor wrapped his arm round her shoulder protectively. He hoped that this would work; they couldn't go on like this for much longer.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor led Rose towards the infirmary with a plan forming in his mind. He knew that because Rose was reluctant to become the Bad Wolf again she'd need a little nudge in the right direction. So he was going to ask the TARDIS for help.

"What're you going to do?" Asked Rose nervously as the Doctor sat her on a bed and began to tap at the keys of a computer.

"Going to take a more in depth look into your head," the Doctor said quietly, looking up at her. "I need to find out what part of you the Bad Wolf resides in."

"Great," Rose said looking down at her hands. This was all she needed, the Doctor poking about with her brain.

"Sorry," he said walking back from the computer and taking a few sucker pads from a table. "If there were any other way…"

"I know," Rose sighed as the Doctor stuck the pads to her head. "I just want to get this over and done with."

The Doctor smiled slightly, tucking her hair out of the way so he could stick the final pad on her temple. His fingers brushed against her cheek as he bought his hand back to his side and Rose wasn't sure whether he'd done it intentionally or not.

"Right," the Doctor moved back to the computer once more and sat on a chair tapping at the keyboard, glancing up at the screen occasionally. "It won't hurt, you probably won't even be able to tell that anything's happening, but it might take a while."

Rose sighed again and lay down on the bed, her arm behind her bed, staring at the Doctor. She could see the bruises on his hands and face still and it made her heart ache more.

"I've already told you it's not your fault," the Doctor looked up at her grinning. Rose frowned startled.

"What?" She asked. How had he known what she was thinking about? The Doctor turned the computer screen so she could see it and her heart skipped a beat as she saw her own thoughts on the screen.

She turned pink as the Doctor turned the screen back and tapped a few keys. She groaned and covered her face with her hands.

"Sorry," she said looking at him again.

"S'all right," the Doctor replied. "I'm going to have to sift through all your thoughts and emotions anyway. You're going to have to put up with loosing your privacy."

Rose rolled her eyes and swung her feet off the edge of the bed.

_It's not like you haven't seen everything anyway._

The Doctor looked up grinning.

"Now you're getting it," he said glancing back at the screen.

_Will you even be able to find the 'Bad Wolf' part of me? If you can't detect the nanites…_

"I hope so," the Doctor replied. "The TARDIS helped you unlock the power before, so she should be able to find the Bad Wolf."

Several hours later the Doctor had still had no look in locating the Bad Wolf, but he still had hope, especially since Rose was reluctant which would make it harder to find anyway and the Bad Wolf would probably have hidden itself.

Rose was starting to get freaked out again because the nanites had detected the intruder in her head and different people and creatures were swarming round the pair of them. Fortunately Rose was getting better at controlling them and the Doctor had so far, received no injuries.

The computer suddenly bleeped and Rose looked up the nanites forgotten and all her imagination creatures disappearing. The Doctor frowned at the screen for a few minutes before looking up at Rose and grinning.

"Bingo," he said. "Bad Wolf located."

Rose smiled anxiously sitting up and hugging her knees to her chest protectively. The Doctor tapped a few more keys and then glanced once more at Rose.

"Ok, I can stimulate that part of your brain but I-" The Doctor stopped suddenly as something else blipped. "Well that's not supposed to happen."

"What?" Asked Rose wandering over to look at the computer, trying not to trip over the wirers attached to her head.

"Bad Wolf is searching the TARDIS systems for something," the Doctor said frowning as hundreds of different files opened on the computer whilst the little bar at the bottom said 'Bad Wolf Searching'. "What's it looking for?"

"It's trying to bypass the security by searching for the passwords," Rose said before she could stop herself. "But it's all encrypted in Gallifrey. I can't understand it."

The Doctor frowned at her for a moment before halting the searches and typing in the passwords himself. The Bad Wolf continued searching and Rose pulled up her a chair herself, pulling the keyboard towards herself.

"It's looking for something called 'Frey 9'," Rose said typing and bringing up extra files whilst the Bad Wolf encoded some more files.

"Rose," the Doctor said but Rose didn't stop. She found what she was looking for after a moment. A little glitch in the system, something was wrong. The Doctor had been so wrapped up in helping Rose he hadn't noticed the TARDIS's warning.

"Someone's been following me," Rose said, glancing at the Doctor as he looked over the file that had been opened.

"Not just you," the Doctor said a note of worry evident in his voice. "They've been tracking the Bad Wolf."

"But look at this," Rose said opening another file. "They want the Bad Wolf because of her relationship with The Oncoming Storm."

The Doctor nodded.

"Looks like we're in trouble," he said. The TARDIS jerked suddenly.

"They've found us," Rose whispered her eyes wide with fear.

They ran back to the console room, Rose pulling the pads of her head, the Doctor frantically trying to find out what was pulling them down an on which planet they were about to land.

"No," the Doctor stared at the screen on the console in disbelief as the TARDIS threw them about all over the place.

"What?" Asked Rose though a part of her, the Bad Wolf she assumed, already knew where they were landing.

"According to the TARDIS the Daleks are trying to take over Earth," the Doctor said quietly his face pale. It was the worst possible situation. The Doctor was going to have to face his worst nightmare and Rose was going to have to protect her family.

"But I destroyed them all," Rose said looking at him pleadingly as though he might be twisting her some sick joke. "How can they still be alive?"

"I don't know," the Doctor said, though in reality he had a very good idea where they'd come from. On the screen he could see nothing. Some invisible force was exterminating the people of Earth. It was Rose. There weren't any Daleks; they were being created by the nanites.

They must've realised the Bad Wolf was going to try and stop them and conjured up the power to work for themselves. Rose did indeed look very pale as though all the energy had been sapped from her.

"It's me isn't it?" Rose said watching him stare at the screen. The Doctor looked up shaking his head.

"Rose," he began but Rose put a hand on one of his that was leaning on the console.

"I'm creating my own nightmare aren't I?" She asked sadly. The Doctor looked at her and was sure that the truth would kill her if she knew, but he couldn't keep it from her.

"The nanites are taking their energy from you and the Bad Wolf," the Doctor explained. "They're not trying to help you anymore; they're working for their own means, which leads me to the conclusion that you weren't infected with them by accident. Someone wanted you to loose control and destroy your own planet."

"How do we stop them?" Rose asked, rubbing her thumb along the back of the Doctor's hand gently. The Doctor looked at her wondering whether to answer her question or not, but Rose knew what the look meant. "I've got to do it. Me and the Bad Wolf. Alone."

The Doctor nodded solemnly.

"The world is in your hands," he said quietly.


	10. Chapter 10

Rose took several deep breaths and stepped out of the TARDIS onto the Powell Estate where people were being exterminated by invisible forces. Other people watching from the hiding places were just seeing people drop down. Only Rose could see her imagined Dalek's.

They whole world paused as she walked forward. The Dalek's turned to look at her and anybody who'd been watching the invisible terror was now amazed to see one bedraggled, scared looking blonde girl standing in the middle of the square, unharmed and apparently talking to herself.

"I order you to leave this planet!" Rose said in a voice barely more than a whisper. The Dalek's turned to look at her.

"Dalek's do not take ord-ers!" The Dalek screeched at her. Rose swallowed hard as the Doctor cautiously stepped out of the TARDIS as well. The Dalek's turned their attention to him now. "Doc-tor de-tec-ted!"

Rose looked at him wide eyed and several Dalek's surrounded him. Though the Doctor couldn't see them he could sense their presence.

"Stop them Rose," he said quietly, looking her straight in the eye. "It's not real, none of it's real, but you have to stop them before they kill anyone else."

Rose opened her mouth to reply when she heard the worst possible sound. Footsteps and cries as a woman ran towards her. Rose turned back to see her mother running towards her.

"Rose! Rose love, get inside! People have been dying! They're just zapped-" Jackie ran past the Dalek's oblivious and they all pointed their guns at her.

"The hu-man must be ex-ter-min-a-ted!" The Dalek's intoned.

"Mum! Stop!" Rose shouted holding her hands up. Jackie froze and Rose turned to the Dalek's. "Don't kill her!"

The Dalek's around the Doctor suddenly pointed their guns at him.

"The On-com-ing Storm must be ex-ter-min-a-ted!" They cried. Rose looked at them her face etched with worry.

"No!" She cried. "Please! Don't do anything!"

"The Dalek's must follow orders!" One of the Dalek's screeched. "We must ex-ter-min-ate!"

"No! You can't!" Rose said looking at all the Dalek's desperately. "Leave them alone!"

"Rose, who are you talking to?" Jackie asked quietly, looking as if she thought her daughter was mad. The Doctor put a finger to his lips though and Jackie quietened.

"The Bad Wolf must choose!" Another Dalek said. "You can save one. You must choose which dies!"

Rose paled. This was way too much. She couldn't choose between her mum and the Doctor. Especially when these Dalek's were her creation. That would mean she was literally going to kill one of them.

"I can't!" Rose said weakly, sinking to her knees. The tears flowed freely now. "I can't do this. I can't… I just CAN'T!"

The Doctor watched as Rose collapsed, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. He couldn't let her go through this alone.

"Rose," he said quietly. "You know what you've got to do. You can stop it all, you just have to concentrate. You don't even have to use the Bad Wolf."

A sudden thought had occurred to him and he thought he knew how he could help Rose even if he couldn't reach her.

"They want me to choose!" Rose shouted at him. "They want me to kill either you or mum. How can I stop them?"

"Remember what Chloe did when the drawing of her dad became real?" The Doctor asked not taking his eyes off Rose. Rose looked up at all the Dalek's, her face tear strained.

"Yeah…" she nodded. "She sang, but I don't see how-"

"She sang because she felt alone," the Doctor cut across. "You're not alone Rose, you might be the only one who can save the day and the only one who can see these Dalek's, but you're not alone."

"CHOOSE!"

"CHOOSE!"

"CHOOSE!" The Dalek's were getting impatient and started chanting at Rose. She looked up at the Doctor desperately and something told him that though she was on the brink of insanity she could just cling on.

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree," she muttered trying to ignore the continued cries of 'choose' from the Dalek's. "Merry, merry king of the bush is he…"

Jackie opened her mouth to speak but the Doctor shook his head. The Dalek's looked at each other in an almost confused way and Rose stood up feeling a little stronger.

"Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh, Kookaburra," She sang her heart pounding. Glancing down at her hands she could see a familiar golden glow surrounding them. "Gay your life must be."

"That's it!" The Doctor said. "Keep going!"

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree," Rose glanced at the Dalek's and could see them starting to fade. They were feeding off her fear, so now she was feeding off them, taking the power of the Bad Wolf back and using it against them. "Merry, merry king of the bush is he."

Rose held her hands out wide, palms facing the Dalek's and she did the same thing she'd done before. Divided their atoms, taking back the power that was rightfully hers.

"Laugh, Kookaburra, Laugh Kookaburra," the Doctor could see Rose's eyes beginning to glow and her voice turned ethereal again. "Gay your life must be."

The Dalek's disappeared, the Doctor could sense they were gone and began to walk towards Rose. She stopped singing now and looked at the Doctor, tears still falling.

"I want you safe, my Doctor," she said, repeating her words and smiling before she collapsed into his arms.

The Doctor caught her and scooped her up. Jackie ran over hair flying about all over the place.

"What the bloody hell was that?" She asked in a frightened tone.

"That was the Bad Wolf," the Doctor said smiling slightly.


	11. Chapter 11

_AN: I'm on holiday for a week from Saturday so I'm afraid the next update will be next week. However do not fear as I'm taking my laptop and will write the next chapter (maybe even two) whilst I'm there and will post as soon as I return. Enjoy!_

"You're not just going to leave are you?" Jackie asked as the Doctor strode back towards the TARDIS, Rose held carefully in his arms.

"I've got to get Rose to the infirmary," the Doctor replied, pushing open the TARDIS doors. "She's just received one hell of a mental and physical battering."

"She'll be alright though won't she?" Jackie said quietly, following the Doctor.

"Right as rain," the Doctor grinned back. "As soon as I see to her."

He wandered into the TARDIS depths, and, once inside the infirmary tucked Rose tenderly into one of the beds. He turned back to Jackie then and smiled slightly.

"We won't leave until Rose has had a chance to say goodbye to you, ok?" He said quietly. Jackie nodded. "Fancy a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks," She smiled weakly. "I better get back to the flat and ring round, make sure everyone's ok."

The Doctor nodded understandingly. He glanced back at Rose, who was lying unmoving in the bed he'd put her in. She looked so peaceful and the Doctor couldn't help smiling affectionately.

"Take care of her for me," Jackie said as she left. The Doctor didn't take his eyes of Rose.

He spent the most part of the day making sure Rose wasn't permanently brain damaged and then trying to bring her round. Obviously using the power of the Bad Wolf had drained her, but the Doctor needed to make sure she was ok, check if the nanites were still affecting her.

The Doctor also needed to find out who else had access to the nanite's main controls, because someone was definitely trying to kill either Rose or the Doctor or both. After a very long day the Doctor sat up very late into the night researching and drinking tea, when Rose began to stir.

The Doctor was instantly by her side, taking her hand gently in his and waiting patiently for her to wake properly.

"My head," Rose moaned, bringing the hand that wasn't holding the Doctor's, up to her forehead.

"Is it bad?" The Doctor asked quietly, rubbing Rose's hand. Rose opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him.

"Just a bit," she replied. She gingerly pulled herself up in the bed looking carefully at the Doctor. "Did I get rid of them?"

"You don't remember?" The Doctor asked anxiously.

"It's all a bit hazy," Rose said, squeezing his hand gently. "After the Bad Wolf took over I can't remember much, same as last time."

"Yeah," the Doctor said smiling slightly. "You saved the world."

"What about the nanites?" Rose said, then realised what a stupid question it was. Glancing about the room she couldn't see anything but that didn't mean they wouldn't come back. "Mm, nothing here at the minute…"

They sat in silence for a minute, Rose watching the Doctor, the Doctor watching his hands massaging Rose's.

"I promised your mum we'd say goodbye to her before we left," he said quietly, glancing up.

"Ok," Rose said nodding. She could still see the bruises on the Doctor's hands and felt another twinge.

"We'll find out who else had access to the nanites after that," he continued. "When you're feeling better."

Rose smiled slightly. Her mind was racing already even if her body couldn't be bothered to move yet. Part of her was already wondering whether they would get to sleep together again, which, given her situation, wasn't the most appropriate thing to think about.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" The Doctor asked standing up. Rose nodded and felt a little pang as the Doctor let go of her hand. She really had to keep her feelings under control. They were, after all, the reason she was in this situation.

The Doctor returned a few minutes later with a cup of tea for Rose. The TARDIS lights were dim now and cast an eerie but comforting glow about the room.

Rose sipped at the tea wondering what the Doctor had done whilst she'd been recovering. In fact she didn't even know how long she'd been unconscious.

"How long was I out?" She asked suddenly.

"Only a few hours," the Doctor replied, sitting back in the chair next to Rose's chair. "Don't worry; you've not missed out on much. Just the TARDIS registering that the Bad Wolf was healing you and that you didn't need any help."

Rose smiled again and finished off her tea, placing the cup down on the bedside table and holding out her hand to the Doctor again. He grinned and took it in his own, standing up and sitting next to her wrapping his arm round her so she could lean her head on his shoulder.

"They wanted me to kill one of you," Rose said, her grip on the Doctor's hand tightening slightly. The Doctor pulled her closer, cuddling her gently.

"But you stopped them," he said quietly. "All by yourself. You're going to kick me out of my job at this rate."

Rose nudged him playfully, smiling as he squirmed.

"Found your match then," She said chuckling.

"You're more than a match for me Rose Tyler," the Doctor grinned. Rose looked up at him smiling and feeling her face flush when she realised just how close they were. The Doctor could feel the warmth radiating from Rose and almost gave into his desires. Almost.

But then Rose turned and leaned against him again, leaving the Doctor to sigh inaudibly to himself. Just before she fell asleep Rose thought she heard the Doctor whispering something to her in a different language, but she might've just imagined it…

The next morning Rose woke to find the Doctor had indeed slept in the bed with her, even going as far as to change into his pyjamas again. She smiled slightly, watching his sleeping form for a moment before resting her forehead against his and closing her eyes again.


	12. Chapter 12

When Rose next woke the bed was empty. She looked about the infirmary but she was alone. Listening intently, Rose could hear the Doctor tinkering in the console room and after taking a shower and changing her clothes she went to join him, feeling a bit better than she had done for the past few days.

"You're finally up then sleepy head," the Doctor grinned as she wandered in, all smiles.

"Don't start," Rose replied jokingly. "I was awake earlier, but _someone_ was still snoring."

"I do not snore!" The Doctor protested. "Besides how do you know I wasn't pretending?"

Rose gave the Doctor a look that said 'if you were pretending then my name's Margaret Blaine'.

"Alright, I was asleep," the Doctor admitted, turning slightly pink around the edges. "I managed to track the signal of who had control of the nanites, so if you want to say goodbye to your mum we can get going."

"Ok," Rose said walking down the ramp and out the TARDIS doors leaving the Doctor to his own devices.

He leant against the TARDIS console sighing to himself. The TARDIS chattered and he rolled his eyes.

"She's only just saved the world and now we've got to deal with her nanites, now is really not the time to make her deal with that kind of thing," the Doctor murmured. "I'll tell her, one day… just not now."

The TARDIS made a noise that sounded like a huffy sigh and the Doctor almost laughed.

"You sound so much like Rose when you do that," he muttered. Though he couldn't actually see it, the Doctor knew the TARDIS was smiling.

Rose charged up the stairs and knocked on the door of her mums flat. Jackie smiled when she opened the door and saw who it was.

"Hello love," she said. "You off?"

"Yeah," Rose said hugging her Mum. "I'll come back a visit soon, I promise."

"Good," Jackie replied pulling back to look at her daughter. "And don't let the Doctor keep you away."

"He won't Mum," Rose said rolling her eyes. "Bye."

"Bye," Jackie said watching her daughter wander back towards the TARDIS.

The Doctor was already setting the controls when Rose entered again. She wandered up to the console and surprised the Doctor by slipping her hand into his and leaning against him. He paused looking down at her with concern.

"You ok?" He asked. "You're not feeling ill are you?"

"No," Rose said, her brightness loosing its edge. "I just dread to think what would've happened if we hadn't gone home."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly and pulled a final lever on the TARDIS. It shuddered into life and the Doctor turned to look at Rose properly.

"We can come back after we've dealt with the nanites," the Doctor said quietly. Rose smiled slightly shaking her head.

"S'all right," she replied. "I just need an adventure after this to make things normal again."

The Doctor looked at her for a moment and had the strangest feeling that the TARDIS was whispering to him. He looked at Rose who was staring back at him. His hearts started thumping hard in his chest and his eyes were darting from Rose's face to her lips.

He bought a hand up to her face and was so tantalizingly close to just leaning forward and kissing her, when he realised what he was doing.

"We shouldn't be here long," the Doctor said quickly turning very obviously pink. He let his hand fall to his side again as the TARDIS screeched to a halt. She made a hissing noise at the Doctor.

_Not the time. I know how close I was and she doesn't need this. Especially with all the complications, it wouldn't be fair on her._

Rose cleared her throat looking away as her cheeks flushed a deep red. She stuffed her hands awkwardly in her jacket pockets.

"Good, good," she said swallowing. "Sooner we're done the better."

"Umm," the Doctor looked at her and pointed towards the doors. "Out we go then."

"Yeah," Rose wandered towards the doors. She was sure the Doctor must be able to feel the heat radiating from the back of her neck.

Opening the doors Rose was surprised to see similar surroundings to that of Earth. She paused, waiting for the Doctor to follow. He stood beside her looking round as the wind whipped his coat about.

"Where are we?" She asked, tentatively taking his hand.

"Earth," the Doctor said sounding a little surprised. "Judging by the architect I'd say we were around a hundred years in your future."

"The tracking signal's coming from here?" Rose looked at the Doctor questioningly.

"Would seem so, yeah," the Doctor nodded and then started walking forward, Rose following.

"Where are we going?" She asked jogging to keep up with him.

"Well the signal is coming from in there," the Doctor said pointing to a tall building.

Rose was going to say something else then but decided against it. Her mind was still reeling from what had happened in the TARDIS. She was worried in case the Doctor was mad at her, but judging by the way his hand was rubbing hers gently, she needn't have.


	13. Chapter 13

They walked into the building and the Doctor paused looking around as though he recognised the place.

"Hang on, isn't this-?" He was cut short by a man in a smart red uniform walking up to them.

"Welcome to Buckingham Palace," he said cheerfully. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Umm, yeah," the Doctor fished out the psychic paper and showed it to the man who beamed at them.

"This way, your majesties," he said bowing and leading them through a door. "The King has been expecting you."

"Has he?" The Doctor glanced at Rose who looked just as surprised and he shrugged following the young man down a corridor. He leant close to Rose to whisper in her ear. "Wonder how he can have been expecting us when we don't exist in this time frame, not officially."

Rose shivered. Something about the situation was slightly odd. Of course the Doctor's breath on the back of her neck gave her something else to concentrate on.

They were led into a large hall where a very thin man swamped by his royal cloak sat in a throne watching them with dark eyes. Rose shivered again when she saw the pale complexion and almost black eyes. They seemed familiar, though she couldn't think where she'd seen them before.

"That is all," the man on the throne said in a strangely high voice. "Thank you."

The man in the red uniform who'd showed the Doctor and Rose in bowed and left, leaving the Doctor and Rose to approach. Rose was unsure of how to act, the last time she'd met royalty she'd been wearing dungarees, which had meant for the eighteen hundreds she was practically naked. At least this time she was wearing full length clothes.

"Rose Tyler and the Doctor," the man on the throne said softly, their names rolling off his tongue.

The Doctor knew it was bad just from that. The psychic paper had given the man who'd bought them here fake names and if someone knew their real names then it wasn't good.

"You don't remember me do you?" Asked the man as Rose and the Doctor took a few steps closer. "I was in a different form the last time we met."

Rose frowned and glanced at the Doctor confused. They'd met him before? In a different form?

"Maybe you'll remember this human child," the man said his voice almost simpering, in a slightly scary way. "The last time we saw each other I told you, you had something of the wolf about you."

Rose stared wide eyed. It was the were-wolf. The last time they'd met in Scotland he had seen the Bad Wolf side of Rose and told her all about his plans for the empire of the wolf.

The Doctor too seemed to catch on seeing the look of recognition on Rose's face. He squeezed her hand gently to let her know he was still there for her.

"You," Rose breathed almost inaudibly.

"Yes, me," the man smiled, his dark eyes shinning. "I survived, one cell, passed down the royal bloodline. It took longer than expected to reform as my full self. But now I am ready and I only require one more thing before the empire of the wolf will become a reality."

"And what's that?" The Doctor asked questioningly and hoping that tonight wasn't the full moon. He could take on the were-wolf in its human form, but if it transformed they were in trouble. Of course knowing his luck it was almost certainly the full moon.

"A queen," the man said his eyes darting to Rose, who shuddered under his intense gaze.

"Really?" The Doctor said pulling Rose closer protectively. "And why exactly do you need Rose?"

"She already has the wolf about her, power beyond that of any other being, even that of yourself, Doctor," the man replied his eyes raking over Rose making her feel like a piece of meat. "With that power the lycanthropies would be able to over turn this world with ease."

"Well that's nice," the Doctor said his voice sounding dangerous. "But you're not taking Rose."

The man's eyes darted back to the Doctor, staring at him as though he were talking nonsense.

"But it is not your choice, Time Lord," he said. "Because Rose Tyler will hand herself over."

"No I won't," Rose replied her grip on the Doctor tightening.

"I spent years, controlling the nanites over time, sending all the messages, leading you here," the man whispered. "You don't seriously think I'm about to let you walk out from right underneath my nose, do you?"

Neither Rose nor the Doctor noticed two men coming up behind them. It wasn't until the Doctor was wrenched from her grasp that Rose realised what had happened.

"I'd like you to meet my sons," the man in the throne said smiling, his yellow teeth showing.

"If you've got kids, why do you need me?" Rose asked as the two men held the struggling Doctor seemingly effortlessly. "Surely their mother is the queen. What happened to her?"

"We ate her," one of the men holding the Doctor said, licking his lips.

"Is that hat you're going to do to me when you're finished with me?" Rose asked nervously.

"Of course not," the man in the throne said. "You will become one of us and then together we shall create a pure wolf."

"You've got to be kidding if you think I'm becoming a were-wolf and having another kid for you," Rose scoffed backing away.

"If you do not comply then we shall kill the Time Lord," the man replied.

Rose looked at the Doctor held by the two men. He was shaking his head, desperately trying to get Rose to refuse. If she handed herself over they were in trouble. But Rose couldn't just let them take the man she loved.


	14. Chapter 14

Rose knew deep down that the were-wolves couldn't kill the Doctor, he would simply regenerate, but she wasn't sure she could go through that again. She knew she couldn't let them hurt the Doctor, even if it meant handing herself over.

The Doctor could see Rose's mind racing as she weighed up which option was best. He hoped and prayed she wouldn't hand herself over. He could probably take them on if she got herself to safety.

"What will it be Miss Tyler?" The were-wolf asked his voice, simpering. "Live with us, or walk away knowing we killed the man you love."

That was the last straw; Rose felt her heart ache as the were-wolf said that and she knew she couldn't walk away.

"Fine, you can have me," Rose said. "Just let the Doctor go."

The were-wolf smiled and stood up, wandering down from his throne towards Rose. She shrank back as he grabbed her arm and held it in a vice like grip.

"Dispose of the Time Lord," the were-wolf growled, dragging Rose towards the door.

"No, you said you'd let him go!" Rose protested struggling against the hold the man had on her arm.

"If I let him go he will only cause trouble," the man replied as he pulled Rose down the corridor.

The Doctor tried to break free of the two men who were holding him as Rose disappeared from sight, but with no such luck. They simply herded him towards a holding cell where he was kept whilst they decided what to do with him.

He paced backwards and forwards trying to come up with a way to escape, but the Sonic Screwdriver had been confiscated and the bars of his cells were thick enough to keep even the strongest of enemies contained.

He ran a hand through his hair starting to stress. This was all his fault, if he hadn't got the date wrong then they'd've never met the were-wolf in the first place and they wouldn't be in this situation now.

He thought over several different plans each one less likely to succeed than the last. He looked up and sighed, hoping Rose was ok.

The were-wolf dragged Rose along the corridor and practically threw her into another holding cell. She stood up, rubbing her wrist as the were-wolf slammed the door behind her. She walked up to the bars and glared at him.

"What did you throw me in here for?" She demanded.

"I must prepare you're rooms and you would only try to escape if I took you with me," the were-wolf smiled maliciously. "You can wait here and wipe that Time Lord from your memory."

Rose watched the were-wolf leave, a look of loathing on her face. She had to get out. If they were going to hurt the Doctor she'd have to get to him first. Glancing round the holding cell she found it was pretty plain. There was a bed and a chair but that was it. Obviously it was designed to make you feel comfortable until the wolves dealt with you.

Looking up, Rose found that the wolves had overlooked one thing. A ventilation shaft in the ceiling. She checked that the were-wolf wasn't coming back and then she pulled the chair into the middle of the room and attempted to remove the grating. It took a lot of shoving but she eventually managed it and climbed in.

Crawling along she tried to find where exactly the Doctor was. Somehow she knew which turn to take when she came to a fork and it was almost a though something was guiding her.

The Doctor was starting to worry now. The wolves hadn't been back for him but several people had run past his cell talking in worried voices about a prisoner escaping. He hoped that it was Rose and that they didn't find her.

He was loosing hope that he'd be able to break out. He'd decided that he'd have to wait until they opened the door and then he'd make a break for it.

So it made him jump when he heard Rose's voice hiss at him. He looked all round trying to locate her and it was only when he looked up that he saw the ventilation shaft.

"How did you get up there?" He asked incredulously.

"Chair," Rose said. "I can't believe you aren't already up here."

The Doctor grabbed the chair in his cell and stood on it. Rose crawled back a bit so the Doctor could climb up inside.

"I didn't see it," the Doctor admitted. "I was too worried about you."

Rose smiled slightly and hugged him.

"Well I'm ok," she said.

"They know you've escaped," the Doctor muttered glancing around in the cramped space.

"Then we better move," Rose shoved the Doctor along in the shaft and they made their way slowly towards what they hoped was freedom.

As it began to grow dark outside the were-wolves grew restless. Their prisoners had escaped and they were mere minutes away from their transformations.

"We will find them my children," the king growled to his boys. "And when we do, you can kill the Time Lord."

The Doctor and Rose froze in the shaft as they heard a wolf howl. They moved faster after that and Rose almost ran straight into the Doctor when he stopped.

"I'll catch you ok?" The Doctor said, dropping out of the shaft and looking round to check they were alone. He held out his arms and Rose dropped down to.

Grabbing he hand they ran towards the door and out into safety. What they didn't see was the three wolves chasing after them.


	15. Chapter 15

As they dodged past lamp posts and cars on the street the Doctor somehow let go of Rose's hand. He didn't even realised it had happened until he heard a scream that made his blood run cold. Turning he saw Rose on the floor trying to shake her leg free from the grip the biggest wolf had on her.

Running back towards her, the Doctor pulled the Sonic Screwdriver out and aimed it at the wolves.

"Let her go!" He called out as he pelted down the street. Just as he reached her Rose managed to break free and scramble to her feet. The Doctor grabbed her hand and held it tightly, making sure he didn't let go this time as they ran. He glanced back and was surprised to see the wolves weren't following. What were they up to? Rose suddenly doubled over in pain.

"Rose?" The Doctor stopped and looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong?"

But he already knew the answer. Looking down at her ankle he could see the growing blood stain on her jeans and knew the wolf had bitten her, which meant-

"Go," Rose panted looking at him her eyes flashing yellow for a moment. "I don't want to hurt you Doctor, but I will. Hide in the TARDIS, I'll be fine."

"I'm not leaving you," the Doctor said firmly. Rose sank to her knees.

"Yes you are!" She said pushing him away as she struggled to remain conscious. "GO!"

The Doctor hesitated. He couldn't just leave her, but he was no use to her dead and Rose was right. If she caught him she would kill him. He reluctantly went back to the TARDIS and watched on the scanner.

The Doctor couldn't stand this feeling of being powerless. He could see Rose writhing in pain as the transformation began. He couldn't watch. He ran to the infirmary and did the only thing he could. He started to come up with a cure. After all, Rose couldn't stay a lupine wavelength heamovariform forever.

Rose was surprised to find that despite turning into a werewolf she wasn't loosing her mind to the wolf. Then she remembered; the nanites. That's why they were for, weren't they? No… they were so that there was someone to control her in wolf form, she shouldn't still have her mind. But she was already part wolf. It must be the Bad Wolf part of her that allowed her to keep her own mind.

She raised herself onto her legs and found she stood much taller than before. Looking down she saw her tattered clothes and guessed the transformation must be complete.

_Great, my best pair of jeans, ruined! Oh, these wolves are gonna pay._

Rose growled, finding that she could no longer speak. Figured. The one odd thing she did notice though was that her fur- _oh god, I'm an animal-_ was not the usual black, like the other three wolves. It was gold.

She looked up and saw the other three wolves advancing on her. She walked towards them on all four paws. If they wanted a fight they were going to get one. If wolves were anything like other animals then the female was usually bigger, stronger, and more likely to win in a fight.

The Doctor was typing furiously at the computer in the infirmary. He was muttering in Gallifreyan, the TARDIS bringing up more and more files with each command he uttered.

"There must be something," he muttered in English this time, not that there was anyone around to hear. "There's always something."

The TARDIS beeped and bought up a large folder containing information on lupine wavelength heamovariforms.

"Bingo!" The Doctor cried his glassed slipping down his nose. He pushed them back up quickly and began to read the file as fast as his highly trained brain would allow.

The three wolves facing Rose growled and swiped their paws at her. She just waited, ready to pounce when her moment came. The stupid fools were still under the impression that they'd be able to capture her. Well they had another thing coming. No one could control the Bad Wolf.

She walked closer and closer until she was almost in reach of them then stopped. The howled as if they were laughing, thinking she was willingly handing herself over. If Rose hadn't been a wolf she would've smiled.

The Doctor found what he was looking for. It wasn't a cure, but combined with the power he knew Rose had and the nanites they might just be able to cope with the were-wolf side of her.

He made his way back to the console room and the scanner to check Rose was ok and found the shock of his life. The Doctor, expecting to see a fourth black wolf struggling to hold back the other three, was surprised to find a very large golden wolf easily taking down the other three black ones.

He watched as Rose injured but didn't kill the three wolves attacking her. He found it odd that she didn't kill them when any normal wolf would've.

The TARDIS chirruped and the Doctor smacked his forehead as though he was stupid.

"Of course!" He said pushing his glasses up his nose again. "Bad Wolf! What the hell am I doing? She doesn't need help and she won't hurt me! Oh I could kiss you Rose Tyler!"

The Doctor was so proud of Rose then that he didn't even think about what he was saying. He could be embarrassed about that later, when she was around to hear the things he said about her.

The wolves attacking Rose seemed to decide that she was too powerful for them and slunk away. Rose's golden wolf form shook itself, trying to rid her fur of the blood it was covered in.

The Doctor ran to the TARDIS doors and tentatively opened one. Stepping out, the golden wolf turned and when she saw the Doctor wagged her tail happily. The Doctor grinned and stepped out, running towards Rose. He paused just in front of her.

"Hello," he said quietly. Rose padded forward, snuffling her nose at the Doctor's hand and he laughed, stroking her head. "Alright, alright, just 'cause you saved the world doesn't mean you can get smug."

Rose walked towards the TARDIS then and nudged at the doors whining. The Doctor opened them still chuckling to himself and Rose padded in, wandering towards the TARDIS depths and her room.

The Doctor smiled watching her go. Rose Tyler really was one in a million. Well more like one in six billion. There was no other human like her and that was probably the reason the Doctor loved her so much.


	16. Chapter 16

Rose awoke the next morning, aching. She rubbed her head trying to remember what had happened. It all came flooding back, the wolves, her own golden wolf, the fight, returning to the TARDIS. She glanced down at her pyjama's and realised that when she'd transformed back she must've only had enough energy to pull them on before collapsing into bed.

But hang on; she was in her own room, a single bed… Sitting bolt upright she glanced round. No Doctor. Throwing herself out of bed she ran to the console room in a panic.

_Please say the nanites haven't got him. Please…_

She burst into the console room and couldn't see him anywhere. He heart was thumping in her chest, making her ribs ache even more.

"Doctor?" Rose called out worriedly. She heard a thud and some cursing in Gallifreyan. Sighing she wandered round the console and found one of the metal grating panels moved out the way. The Doctor stuck his head up rubbing it gingerly.

"Alright?" He asked, pulling himself up and almost falling back down when Rose threw her arms round his neck. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I thought I'd killed you!" Rose said pulling back and frowning as she whacked him.

"Ow!" The Doctor moaned, though it hadn't really hurt. "What was that for?"

"For making me think the nanites had thrown you out of the airlock!" Rose replied, sitting cross-legged beside the hole.

"Sorry," he said smiling slightly. "But the nanites are gone. Nothing to worry about."

"What do you mean they're gone?" Rose asked confused.

"Remember how I said that some of the wolves back on that planet lost their nanites when they got so old because they had trained their minds enough to not need them?" The Doctor said standing up and holding out a hand for Rose. She took it standing up too.

"Yeah," she replied not quite understanding.

"Well, your brain is so highly advanced for a human what with the whole Bad Wolf thing that the nanites realised you'd keep your mind in wolf form," the Doctor grinned. "So off they went, back to their home planet, leaving you free and me unharmed."

Rose ran a hand through her hair thinking. She couldn't remember much that had gone on when she was the wolf.

"Did I kill them?" She asked worriedly.

"Nope," the Doctor shook his head. "Just gave 'em a nip here and there and they soon slunk off to sulk."

Rose nodded looking down at her hands. They were a bit scratched here and there and she could feel several bruises forming on her sides and back.

"They'll fade," the Doctor said, his own injuries looking much better than they had done. "As will the tail."

Rose looked up at him and the Doctor laughed, resulting in him earning another whack from Rose.

"That's not funny," she groaned.

"No, sorry," the Doctor said trying to keep a straight face.

"Don't make me take you home!" Rose warned and the Doctor looked at her wide eyed.

"Oh, Rose, don't make me go see your mother!" He moaned and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't be irritating then," she replied. She linked her fingers through his and leant against him then. "Glad you're ok."

The Doctor smiled to himself then. He squeezed her hand gently and pulled a lever on the TARDIS console.

"Where are we going?" She asked looking at him in confusion.

"You said when we got rid of the nanites you wanted to go somewhere relaxing," the Doctor grinned. "You might wanna get dressed."

Rose smiled back and nodded, heading off back to her room. She was back within ten minutes and the Doctor, who'd covered the hole with the metal grating again, was running round the console like a madman, flipping switches, pulling levers, pressing buttons and doing a random twirl at the end making Rose laugh.

He looked up at her and pulled out his glasses, putting them on and looking at something on the console screen. The TARDIS shuddered as it landed and the Doctor looked up beaming.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

"Go and have a look," the Doctor said shoving his hands in his pockets.

Rose grinned and wandered over to the TARDIS doors opening them and stepping out. She looked round in amazement as the Doctor stepped out behind her.

"Wow," she said. "It's beautiful…"

The sky was a deep purple with weird birds that looked like flying stingrays. The clouds were mixtures of sunset reds and pale oranges, floating serenely past.

The ground was covered in knee high baby blue grass like stuff and Rose could see for miles and miles, nothing interrupting the view, not a mountain, not a building, not a thing.

A few stars were visible in the sky as well, one was a particularly large pink looking star and Rose wondered what they were called. As is he'd heard her thoughts the Doctor spoke.

"That's Gallifrey," he said quietly. "Before the war. We can't go back to the actual planet because I'm already part of events there, but I thought this place was quite relaxing and that I dunno… you might want to see it…"

He shuffled his feet awkwardly then wondering whether Rose would think him mad and silly for assuming she'd want to see his old home planet.

"It's great," she said, laughing the way she did when there was a slight tension between them. "I love it."

The Doctor smiled and she linked her fingers through his again, squeezing his hand gently and looking up at the sky.


	17. Chapter 17

Rose sat on the chair in the console room and yawned widely. She and the Doctor had spent all day on the planet from which you could see Gallifrey and though it had been very relaxing and they hadn't done anything strenuous she was still tired out.

The Doctor was tinkering with the TARDIS, fixing things that didn't really need to be fixed and cursing every so often in ancient Gallifreyan. His injuries had all but healed and the Doctor had had to explain to Rose that Time Lords mend much quicker than humans. Of course his hands were still scratched and singed from trying to mess with the TARDIS.

Rose had the feeling the TARDIS was sparking on purpose to try and get the Doctor to stop. She smiled to herself, lost in thought, and was only bought back down to earth by an indignant voice.

"What's that smug grin for?" The Doctor asked rubbing his hand and looking at Rose questioningly.

"Nothing," She said her grin growing as she tried not to laugh.

I think you've been awake too long," the Doctor decided standing up and stretching. Rose watched him shaking her head vigorously.

"Oh no," she said vehemently. "You're not getting rid of me."

"And why's that?" Asked the Doctor packing away the things he'd been using on the TARDIS.

"Because I've got a question for you," Rose said suddenly remembering something she'd meant to ask him earlier. The Doctor looked at her expectantly. "Am I still a were-wolf?"

The Doctor smiled slightly and shook his head.

"No," he said, leaning against the console. "I think you'll find that the Bad Wolf has got rid of that as well."

Rose nodded. It made sense, although part of her still didn't fully trust the Bad Wolf. The Doctor held out his hand to her and Rose looked up confused, but took it.

"You're going to bed," the Doctor said and instantly felt Rose resist.

"Aww, no," she complained as the Doctor pulled her along the TARDIS corridors.

"Yes," the Doctor said firmly, pausing to look at her. "After everything that's happened even I'm going to need a good night's sleep and that's saying something!"

Rose gave in and allowed the Doctor to lead her to her room. He waited whilst she went to the bathroom to change and clean her teeth. He knew he should trust her, but something told him if he left Rose wouldn't go to bed.

She came back out and reluctantly climbed into bed. He smiled at her for a moment and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm not ten," she moaned.

"No, but you do act like one," the Doctor ducked as a pillow flew through the air. He straightened up only to be struck by another pillow. Rose giggled. "Well you can forget it if you think you're getting a good night kiss now!"

Rose knew he was only joking but it made her heart ache to think she might've missed out on a kiss from the Doctor. She smiled a little forcedly and lay down on her remaining pillows.

"Night Doctor," she said.

"Night Rose," the Doctor replied watching her as she fell asleep before finally tearing himself away from her doorway and heading for his own room.

He'd meant it when he said he was going to sleep. Despite giving off the assumption that he never slept, the Doctor did indeed need his sleep. Admittedly it was only about twice a month that he set foot near his bed, but when he did fall asleep not much could wake him.

Rose awoke several hours later. It was still dark and she guessed it must have been about three in the morning, though sometimes it was hard to tell. She sat up and rubbed her face wondering why she'd woken up. Usually she slept right through.

She glanced at the doorway, the last place she'd seen the Doctor and suddenly felt the strong urge to go and find him. He'd said he was going to be in bed as well, but she really needed to make sure the nanites were truly gone.

Swinging her legs out of bed she stood up and stretched, clad in her star covered pyjamas. She glanced at herself in the mirror on her bedside table and smiled slightly. The Doctor had once told her that he'd never met anyone who could look beautiful even if they'd just got up. She didn't have any of her make up on, but the way her hair framed her face made the Doctor stare which in turn made Rose blush.

She padded over to her doorway and wandered down the corridor towards the Doctor's bedroom. She'd only been there a few times, but she remembered exactly where it was.

She paused just outside and tapped on the door. When she got no answer she opened it and poked her head round. She could make out the shape of the Doctor sprawled across the bed, his chest rising and falling gently.

Rose smiled to herself and walked slowly towards the bed, careful not to make any noise. He looked so peaceful sleeping. No worries, no nightmares, nothing to destroy the tranquillity.

"Something wrong Rose?" Rose almost fell over as the Doctor spoke. She whacked him.

"Bloody hell!" She hissed. "There was no need for that!"

"Well you're the one creeping up to me in the middle of the night," the Doctor said opening his eyes to look at Rose. "What's up?"

Rose hesitated, unsure what to say now she was here. She hadn't meant to wake the Doctor up; she'd only wanted to check he was ok. Seeing her uncertainty the Doctor shuffled across the bed and gestured for her to sit down. She sat awkwardly biting her lip.

"I… uhh…" She paused and if it hadn't been dark the Doctor would've been able to see her face turn bright red. Although he could probably feel the heat radiating from her.

"What?" He asked, sitting up and edging closer. Rose took a deep breath.

"I came for my good night kiss," She said, pressing her lips to his before he could do anything. She pulled back after a second awkwardly.

"Oh," the Doctor looked at Rose for a moment, wondering whether she knew his hearts were thumping in his chest.

"Sorry," Rose said hoping that he wouldn't hate her for that. She made to stand up but the Doctor grabbed her wrist. She turned to look at him puzzled but he never saw the look because the next second he was kissing her again. The Doctor paused long enough to grin at her.

"Sorry for what?" He asked, but she didn't reply verbally. She missed the taste of his mouth too much.

The next morning Rose woke again to find that she hadn't left the Doctor's bed. Turning over she smiled at the peaceful look on his face. Closing her eyes again she found that sleeping in the same bed as the Doctor was so much nicer than sleeping on her own. She sought out his hand and squeezed it gently. He returned the gesture and made Rose smile more.

_A.N: As you may have guessed this is the end. I was wondering whether I should leave it like this or write a sequel?_


End file.
